In a bizarre coincidence – or not – "Bowie" has been put forward as a possible name for the Solar System's newest member.

Nicolas Cowan – of the McGill University team – is among those suggesting we honour the Life on Mars singer with a celestial namesake.

Assistant professor Konstanin Batygin – one of the team from California Institute of Technology who made the original discovery – said: “It is wonderful to see that members of the community are presenting their own proposals on how to best optimise the observational search for Planet Nine."